The Pay Up
by HermioneGrangerTwin
Summary: Long-awaited sequel to "The Bet". Bets can be won or lost, but the true game is love. H/G. AU.


The Pay-Up

A/N: Ah. Here it is. The long awaited sequel to "The Bet". Finally finished at 3:49 PM in a laboratory. Isn't that typical? The bet is to be finished. Who shall win? We will find out. I'd like to dedicate this to my friend Caroline, without which, well, there wouldn't be a sequel. I miss her like hell, and I hope that she is extremely happy. Thanks for the wonderful years, Gin.

It was amazing to Ginny that a house so full of people could feel so lonely. Though the entire family, with the exception of Percy and Ron, was present, she felt like a piece of her was missing.

She looked around at the bright and cheery decorations, and they were dull and unexciting to her. Nothing was exciting these days. The whole house was covered in red and green except for Ron's room, still unwaveringly orange. Two green orbs on the large tree attracted her eye. They twinkled slightly and reminded her of another pair of bright green orbs.

The family was sitting silently in the living room, waiting. They were listening with anticipation for any sound, for some signal of the arrival of Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

Ginny heard it first: the sound of Harry's voice. She leapt from her chair and walked as calmly as she possibly could to the door. Before the knock even came, she had opened the door, finding Harry standing there and Ron and Hermione coming up the walk, bickering about Apparition.

"It is not all just a bit of luck! You have to concentrate and -" Ron grabbed her hand and said "Shhh…" nodding towards the open door. There was a visible squeeze of her hand and he released it. As the trio were assembled at the door, watched by the entire Weasley brood, deafening silence came over the brood. Everyone was still. Harry looked around the crowd, his eyes finally locking on Ginny's.

Before she could get sucked into those green eyes, Ron began to fidget. "Come on, people. I'm freezing my arse off out here!"

"Ronald!" said Hermione and Molly in unison. They shared a glance.

The men began to laugh. "Got himself whipped by two women, he has!" said Charlie, grinning.

Ron and Hermione blushed and Molly pushed past Ginny to hug her children, blood-related and not.

Before she knew it, Ginny found herself pushed to the back of the crowd. Everyone began to bustle off and do cheery Christmas things, leaving Ginny with the three friends. They were quiet for a few moments.

"Hey guys," she said, cracking the proverbial ice.

Hermione hugged her first. "Hey," she said as she pulled back from Ginny. "I hope you haven't been too awfully bored without us."

"Yes, Hogwarts has just been a drag without you three to liven things up a bit." She paused. "I hope you haven't been driven absolutely bonkers by my dear brother."

"Oi!" Ron said, pulling his little sister into a hug. "Who's been driving who mad here?"

Hermione's jaw dropped in surprise. "Excuse me! But I don't believe I'm the one who's been going around cursing every other word for months."

Ron scoffed. "Yes, that makes me entirely abnormal. I swear Hermione; it would do you some good to loosen up a bit."

"What? Loosen up? Yes, that's exactly what we need to do, Ronald!"

They wandered off, bickering as they went.

Ginny laughed. "By the looks of things out there and just now, you've been driven crazy by the two of them."

Harry chuckled. "Ah. It feels so good to have someone understand." His smiling eyes drew her in, stopping all thought. Everything was suddenly about him. She smiled, too, unable to not do so. "How've you been?" he asked, trying to break the silence.

"I've been alright. A little lonely, missing you three like crazy, but pretty well I'd say." She thought briefly about curling up in her bed at Hogwarts and worrying about him. "And you?"

He nodded. "As well as you can be under the circumstances."

The vague niceties were beginning to hurt her curiosity. "Which are…?"

Harry's smile faded from his eyes. "You know I can't tell you that."

Ginny cocked an eyebrow. "Do I?"

Harry looked at her with distress. "I -"

"Harry!" Her father called from somewhere within the house. "I'd love for you to come look at this felly tone I've bewitched!"

Harry looked at Ginny questioningly. "Go," she said, quietly. "But I'll not forget where we were."

He nodded. "It's called a telephone, Mr. Weasley," he called as he went through the house to find her dad. Ginny was left alone in the front hall, wondering what could be going on with her friends.

--

Music from the wireless began to play, and Ginny smiled, Bill and Fleur began to dance in the dim light, followed shortly by Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. She sat by the fire, warming her feet and humming quietly to the music. She closed her eyes, absorbing the familiar tunes. It made her feel nostalgic, remembering when her father would dance with her, twirling her like he did her mother.

She felt a tap on her shoulder and broke out of her reverie. Harry was holding out his hand. "May I have this dance?"

In the depths of her mind, a warning bell went off. She knew this was a bad idea. She had logically laid her situation out before they arrived, and came to the conclusion that she wouldn't let herself do this. But being in such close proximity, she couldn't quite remember why she didn't want to dance with him. She slipped her hand into his and stood, and they swayed to the song. His arms were locked around her, making her feel almost protected by him. She smiled at the thought but quickly dispelled it. It was thoughts like those that got her in trouble. She couldn't get her hopes up.

"So," she began. "What've you been doing these past few months?"

Harry looked at her with humor. "You get right to it, don't you? I've been trying to stop Voldemort."

"Oh, thank you, Captain Obvious! You've saved the day again."

"Oh, the sarcasm. I told you that I can't tell you what's going on."

A fast song started up, and Harry sped their movements.

Ginny continued on, undeterred. "Are you getting any closer?"

Harry thought briefly, evidently trying to answer her to the best of his ability. "Well, we're about three-sevenths of the way along."

Ginny laughed. "I suppose that's good."

Harry shrugged. "It could be worse."

Ginny's train of thought derailed so far that it surprised even her. "Met any gorgeous birds while you've gone?"

The song came to an abrupt end, leaving Harry in the lurch of a movement. His jaw set.

Fred tapped on my shoulder. "May I cut in?" he asked.

She raised an eyebrow, and said, "I suppose."

He grabbed Harry by the hand and danced quickly around the other couples. She giggled and backed back to the hearth, warming herself again. She watched Fred and Harry talking animatedly as they danced. Her attention was drawn to the other couples, her eyes lingering on Ron and Hermione, dancing and laughing. Ron was telling her something and she blushed. Then, they came close enough to hear.

"I'm glad Mum makes you jumpers. It's like you're part of the family."

The smile in Hermione's eyes faltered. "I love being a part of your family. Being one of your siblings."

Ron stopped dancing and looked at her seriously. "No! It's like…you're chosen. Like - I don't know - you've married in or something." His ears burned at his own words.

Hermione beamed and brought a hand to a hot ear. "I like that conept." They began to dance with a twirl from Ron, each smiling like a loon.

"They're sickening, aren't they?"

Ginny started at the sudden question, and smiled up and Harry. "They're sweet. I'll take it they haven't…" She trailed off.

Harry shook his head. "No. That's what's so sickening about them." He held out his hand. "Dance?" She nodded and as the song was slow, wrapped her arms around his neck. They danced in silence for a minute, enjoying the quiet of the dance floor. "I've missed you," he said softly.

Ginny looked at him. "Have you?"

"Yes."

"I guess I've missed you too."

Harry smiled. "I'm glad to hear it."

"Really? You're _glad_ to hear about my aching heart chasm?"

He laughed. "No. I'm glad to hear you haven't forgotten me."

Ginny became sober and it was as if the rest of the world had disappeared. It was only Harry and she on the dance floor. "How could I?"

Harry looked into her eyes. "It's been done."

She shook her head. "I won't." He glanced over her shoulder and laughed. Suddenly, reality came back. She turned, finding Fred and George trying to get Ron and Hermione into a kiss by making mistletoe appear at every turn. Ginny laughed as well, mainly at the bewildered look on Hermione's face.

Harry looked at his watch. "Oh! No wonder!"

"What?" she asked.

"It's 11:42." She must have looked confused, for he continued, "In eighteen minutes, your brother's will have lost their bet."

The bet went through her mind. The bet, the letters, the conference, the talk, the near kiss, the sweater, the fire. She looked over at the pair dancing carefree, Ron's arms wrapped around Hermione. They were content. She thought of her time with Harry by the lake, and a hole in her ached. Harry had sadness in his eyes, and said, "I miss those days too."

She nodded, placing her head tentatively on his chest. They danced for the next few songs in the same way, close, warm, and wistful. Ginny wondered if she'd ever be this close to him again.

At 11:58, Fred and George pulled out all the stops, pushing Ron and Hermione towards each other with magic.

But the pair were blissfully unaware of the twins' attempts, having been sufficiently blocked from the outside world just as Ginny had been moments ago. They had no problems being pressed against each other. They had already wanted that.

Ginny's mind was concentrated on her embrace. "Harry?"

"Hmmm?"

"Will we be able to do this again?'

Harry pulled away and stared into her eyes. "If we come out of this alive, you can be sure that I will be with you."

Ginny smiled. "Really?"

Harry grinned. "If you want me."

Ginny kissed him softly as an answer. No one noticed. They were all watching the twins push the last ditch effort in with their remaining ten seconds. "I'll want you."

The clock struck midnight. Ron and Hermione hadn't kissed, and Fred and George groaned. Charlie came to Ginny's side, taking her by the hand, and pulled her out of her trance. "We won, Gin! We won!"

On first thought, she didn't really care, surprisingly, whether she'd won a bet or not.

Then she saw Fred and George's faces as she saw them pulling out their money. On second thought: Victory is sweet. She made the rounds, collecting gold, leaving Harry to be the last to pay her. He held out his hand with the coins glittering by firelight and she shook her head. "You've given me more than enough. You've given me hope."

And in that room, the lips of two redheads merged with those of dark ones.

A/N: Had to throw a last bit of R/Hr in there. So…there you go. Review! Please!


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